The Ark Diary of Dylan De Rovia Book One of De Rovia Diaries

My Year of Quiet Gets Loud

Friday January 15 2150

Who the hell brings a grandfather clock on board a spaceship it takes up space. It takes up to much space and is very ugly. Of all the things that could kill I didn't think a clock would be of them. I thought it would be like Dad's watch only bigger it's not. It's from satan here to make me lose my mind.

This morning while we're all eating I was checking on my clock sim for the hundredth time. Mom was suppressing a laugh as I got redder. That was an omen of the day it's been a long day of little problems that have worn my mind to the point of a fine pudding. And I thought I could unwind tonight with Lori but she just messaged me. One of her patient went into labor this morning and still is so she took a raincheck. We were supposed to go to a movie.Kye is meeting some of his old buddies. I could go to the clubhouse down stairs.

I close my journal, I had it synced to the smart bored. Writing always seem to help me out when I'm stuck on a problem or trying to avoid some simple truth. Right now my truth is that this clock is done for. All the piece that I've lovingly made of the last two weeks fit perfectly but its not working.

"Uh-oh," Cole says from the doorway. "I know that look."

Sitting on my bench I open my table to a blank page. "I'm gonna need to completely redesign the inside of this clock from hell."

"How about a drink to clear your head." He says it in a friendly tone working on cars he knows what I'm feeling.

I scoff out a laugh, "The last time I drank with you I was grounded and had the hangover to end all hangovers."

"'Kay just thought I would ask."

"Thanks for the offer but I think I'll head home early this mess will be here it the morning."

"That's the spirit."

On the train home I notice that there are couples everywhere, they look unbelievably happy. There all talking excited about something, I open my tablet to the newsfeeds. The Baby Lottery announced its second patch of winners at noon today. There are four fridays in this month, every friday the winners of the baby lottery will be announced. First time parents will be on the public feeds second time around parents get notified via email. There are 190 birthing spots for this year that means 190 people died. Winners are annouced this month but inplants are taken out at different times over the course of the year.

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Okay so, theme of this year is unexpected love. So, I came home why not I do live here. Coming inside I didn't knock why would I have too. I should have because what I heard was the sound of two people making love. That was surprising what really made my mind go blank was that it was my parents together.

Mom noticed me first her shocked expression matched my own, Dad he looked kinda frozen in place shirtless. We all just stayed there to for a whole minute. When my brain unfroze enough for a though I said something along the line of "I'm going to my room."

They knocked fully clothed on my door ten minutes later. Dad had his arm around Mom. He started the conversation. "We should have told you but with everything that's happen we didn't know when."

Mom nods, "We're sorry Dylan really we are but it was never the right time."

"How...When did this happen?" I had a good idea how they were paired that meant they had plenty in common enough to build a relationship but after almost twenty years of being together as roommates. I've heard of late blooming pairs twenty years late that is one for the books.

"September, we'd both been drifting for a while. And, one morning we just looked at eachother and saw that we were already were needed to be."

Dad nods. "It was like being newly paired we talked about the future. Our future and how we couldn't imagine one with being with each other. We spoke with Hal and Jenny they are going to seperate from their spouses."

Mom sat on the bed pulling a silver chain from around her neck there was ring on it. "But we're going to stays together."

My own hand goes to my chain. "Christmas that was your gift."

She puts the ring a simple silver band with bright red ruby in the center. Dad puts his hand on her shoulder and she covers it with her hand. "Yeah."

"Okay this is great I'm not mad." It would be way to hipoctorial of me to mad at them. Look what I'm hiding. "I'm happy shocked for sure this is...It's a lot to take in so if there are any more surprises please just lay it on me."

They both share a look. Mom nods her eyes welling with tears of joy. "Well, we've talked about it and lately we want to have another baby."

My face breaks into huge smile, lottory month.

"We were notified last week I had my implant taken out today."

I pull her into a hug our eyes with matched tears. "I'm gonna be a big sister?"

Dad joins us in group hug. "Yeah you are."

"This wonderful you guys."

They both share a look of relief. I think they were worried that I wouldn't want a brother or sister. When I was little I did then I accepted that I wasn't gonna happen and now that is I think it's the most amazing thing in the universe.

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Lori meets me on the roof a bottle in her hand. "It was a boy, Lamare."

I took the bottle, opening it and taking a huge swig before she could even finish the kids name. "Okay it was one those days."

Wiping my mouth with back of my hand I hand her the bottle. "You want to take sip before I tell you this one."

She takes a smaller sip that turns into many more as I explain the whole episode with my parents. "A baby? Your parents?"

"Life is weird and love is strange and takes it own time." I say taking back the bottle of alcohol.

Lori drinks again, "I'm worried about pairing what if the guy I'm paired with can't love me."

I take the bottle its sweet and strong. "Never gonna happen you are incapable of hating anyone and if someone hates you then they have a brain deformity."

"What's it like to be in love with someone?"

That's a deeply complicated answer I swish the liquid around the bottle. "It's different for everyone I guess. For me it's being content to watch movies on a lumpy couch. For my parents it's being there when the other is at their lowest."

"Your that person for me right now." She says looking at the faded stars. That hide the view of the city.

"I know but I won't always be." She looks hurt, I take her hand. "That's okay you will always be my sister but your going to find a person and slowly you'll make a connection with them it will different then what we have. It'll be slow at first you might think that you'll just be good friends until you have your first hardship."

"Then what?" I look at her she's hooked onto every word.

"They'll stay by your side all night just to keep nightmares away."

She looks ready to cry. "What if I'm a terrible parent."

"You might be but my parents are about to give us a little brother or sister to practice on."

Her face contorted into that are you serious face expression. "Way to be a bitch Dylan."

I shrug smiling like a goofball, "That's me Dylan De Rovia upper side piece, Mecha Bitch, and future big sister."

Lori bust out laughing, "Mecha bitch?"

"Yep I think I'll get it tattooed on my ass."